MURAHO RWANDA ....

It is monday morning here in Rwanda..my first monday..my first morning here. :) Okay let's just repeat that.. I am in Rwanda.. and I am LOVING IT!!!
The traveling was interesting.. and by that i mean EXHAUSTING!! It took something like a little over 30 hours total. I think next time for such a long adventure i will spend the night in europe on the way. With that said though, I have already met incredible people! It seems like i was only alone for about 5 min at a time before the next incredible soul and I would engage in conversation. It started with the french man who i sat next to on the plane to France..it was his first time in America and he loved it...but still loves france more, and interesting... he said that people in france know Las Vegas, Ohio (it's in the movies i guess) and microsoft, and coming to Seattle is a big deal-okay but also in fairness..he is a lovable computer geek..making databases/IT programs for hospitals..so he might be biased.
Then I met an African man on his way to Columbia to attend a conference on Concrete Standards. So yes, the world has standards on how all the various versions of concrete are made. I have never thought about concrete before, and about a bunch of people all over the world meeting to discuss. I told him about my upcoming adventures in rwanda and he said it will be great for my soul, to see the villages and to see their happiness. I asked if he has ever been to America, and he said only to LA for one of the conferences. He said he heard about a restaurant there that you have to pay over $1000 to make just the reservation. and that the meal itself is over $20,000. He said LA felt artificial. I told him I agree and that it is hard to image spending that much money on dinner, when for villages even just a $100 is most people's salary for the year (if they are lucky). He had a great smile, and lovely energy. He left for colmubia the same time i left for kenya.
Then as i am walking and then busing to the plane I met a man who did financing for doctors with out boarders. He was returning home from a conference in France where he met with all the other finance people in the doctors with out boarders organization. He welcomed me to Africa and said that I will return for sure.
On the flight to kenya i had the isle and there was an empty seat separating me from the other person. I slept a lot, and woke only to eat. By the way..vegetarian food is the best on planes. My suggestion, get the veg option always when flying. I had really great meals. Indian food to paris, and to kenya this rice with mushrooms and cooked carrots with corn/tomato salad thing. I was happily surprised by the food. Then when i was in kenya waiting for my flight, i met a bunch of people. A man that did compliance control for a large non profit in America (can't remember the name right now) that is based out of Washington DC. Him and I sat together while we were waiting. He was giving me travel tips and sharing great stories of his travel. Another woman sat next to us, an older woman from Burundi. She works with the UN with the work for food program. She travels through East Africa working. She wants me to come to Burundi for a weekend. Also she gave me a number to call in Kigali, her friend who she thinks is wonderful and that I would just love, who is also another UN worker. Then I met another America (about my age, woman from Philadelphia) ..ohh by the way.. most people thought i was french not american. okay weird.. okay so back to this other american. She is going to Kigali to teach dance as a way to heal the wounds of genocide. She and another woman here started the school and she is hopeful that she can make it work. I loved talking to her about dance, healing, our excitement for kigali (she had already been last year), and just a whole slew of things. (i was too tired to get her contact info..but sure I will see her again). I boarded the plane and slept the entire way to kigali. That was much needed. When i arrived i was met by Aflodis, the head of HDI-Rwanda. He was so gracious to come out and pick me up so late (my flight arrived around 1am). He took me to my hotel, beau sejour, and handed me a cell phone. I called my mum, and then i passed out. I was awoken this morning to birds singing.
I didnt sleep much, but I felt compelled to write. Aflodis will pick me up around 9:30ish (in about 2 hours) to take me to HDI head quarters so we can begin discussing our projects (the terraces, etc) and HDI also does other humanitarian work with HIV/TB outreach/education/awareness as well has other Human Rights work. I am extremely excited to hear more about all that HDI does.

I feel extremely happy and so grateful for this opportunity. I know that this trip is exactly what I am suppose to be doing right now. I am not full of fear or anything (and of course though I will still be cautious and safe). I feel so much love and compassion right now, and I wish at the same time, that all my friends and family were here with me. I feel though that you all are. That in a way, we are all doing this together, experiencing this all. I will go around later today and take pictures. This city reminds me so much of Belize with architecture/construction. And all the people so far are friendly and nice.

I can't stop smiling :)

Love you,
Lizzie